U.S. Hispanics More Likely to Purchase Groceries at C-Stores: NPD

Also more likely to buy fresh foods for lunch, breakfast, least likely to buy sandwiches, wraps

July 22, 2013

HOUSTON -- U.S. Hispanics are more likely to purchase grocery foods, dairy and bread from convenience stores than non-Hispanics, reported The NPD Group, a leading global information company, in The C-Store Hispanic Shopper, which examines the typical c-store shopping behavior of Hispanics by level of acculturation and how it compares to non-Hispanics.

Spanish-dominant Hispanics are more likely to make grocery item purchases at c-stores than other Hispanics, NPD said.

On average, U.S. Hispanics make almost two more visits a month than non-Hispanics to major oil chain c-stores, and nearly one more visit over a 30-day period to traditional c-stores than non-Hispanics, NPD found. For some Hispanics, c-stores supplement or substitute grocery stores.

In addition to groceries, more than two thirds of Hispanics consider having fresh food available at c-stores to be very/somewhat important. Hispanics are more likely to purchase fresh foods for lunch or breakfast, and they prefer hot foods, found NPD. They are least likely to purchase sandwiches/wraps.

"As one of the fastest growing U.S. population groups, Hispanics are an important segment for the c-store channel," said David Portalatin, NPD's c-store industry analyst. "As this report reveals, having a good range of grocery like items and other staples may increase Hispanic traffic, and promoting fresh foods considered to be more homemade or cooked should resonate well among Hispanics."

Since 2003 CSP magazine has ranked No. 1 in readership and market share over all other industry publications. C-store marketers have identified CSP as the preferred magazine source for their trade marketing communications. With industry-leading, highly targeted circulation to more than 100,000 subscribers, CSP reaches the key convenience retailing decision-makers fifteen times a year.